Carly Wilkins passes for Harcourt during the sideʼs unfortunate one-goal loss to Carisbrook.

Harcourt was denied a grand final appearance for the seventh year in a row at the weekend, with Carisbrook scraping through by the skin of its teeth in a show stopping A grade netball preliminary final clash.

Many had expected Brook to come in on Sunday afternoon and wipe the floor with Harcourt like they had in round four with a 26-goal win and round 16 with a 21-goal win, but with the ultimate invitation on the line, the Lions lifted like never before.

Carisbrook took the first lead of the day, shooting 12-8 in the first term thanks to some missed opportunities at goal from the Lions’ end, but it was the second term that really changed the game’s course.

Harcourt handled a powerful headwind much better than Brook, looking to Chloe Brownscombe to pull off some massive distance shots to overcome the gap and equal the score 13-all midway through the quarter.

A goal-for-goal effort from both sides saw the lead swap hands many times before Brook’s Laura Hurse rescued a Harcourt throw away which was converted to a Redback goal putting them one up as the half time siren sounded.

This was too close for comfort for Carisbrook which was gunning for its second grand final appearance in as many years and saw the side dominate the third quarter.

For more on this story see the Back Page of The Advertiser, Tuesday, September 10

The Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League’s highest honours for football and netball, the Berry Powell and the Nalder-Tracey medal were both taken out by league newbies on Monday night.

Harcourt was denied a grand final appearance for the seventh year in a row at the weekend, with Carisbrook scraping through by the skin of its teeth in a show stopping A grade netball preliminary final clash.